Serial rapist cop to hear his fate

Gauteng / 23 January 2014, 11:31am

KUTLWANO OLIFANT

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Former SAPS Constable Mokolo Molekoa who has been found guilty of 16 counts of rape laughs with his friends at the South Gauteng High court during the victim impact testimony.
220114. Picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

Johannesburg -

Convicted former police constable Mokolo Molekoa will know on Friday how many years he will spend behind bars.

Molekoa has been in prison since his arrest in June 2012.

The Randburg constable went on a raping spree between March 2011 and June 2012, offering women lifts in his BMW, then taking them to deserted areas to rape them.

In some cases, he would gang-rape the women with his accomplices, who were never arrested.

Last month, Molekoa was found guilty of raping 16 women.

Judge Peter Mabuse convicted Molekoa on 35 of the 46 charges for which he was tried.

These included 16 of the 17 rape charges, nine kidnapping charges, seven of robbery, two of attempted robbery and one charge of theft.

On Wednesday, the Johannesburg High Court heard that Molekoa was not fit to be rehabilitated.

Dr Nicholas Labuschagne, who compiled a psychologist’s evaluation, testified that the former policeman was still denying responsibility.

Labuschagne said Molekoa did not believe that his behaviour was bad.

“The accused says all incidents were consensual, therefore (he is) denying all the rapes,” Labuschagne said, adding that if a person did not accept the charges levelled against him, it was difficult for them to change.

On Wednesday, the State argued in aggravation of sentencing.

It said a lengthy sentence was appropriate for Molekoa.

“The protector became the predator. He had to protect and not to harm. He never used condoms during all the occasions. His victims might have contacted HIV, and he insulted them after these rapes,” said the State prosecutor, advocate Lwazi Ngodwana.

“He should remain in prison for (the rest of) his remaining life,” the prosecutor said.

Molekoa’s lawyer, advocate Buhle Madondo, argued that his client could not be categorised as the worst kind of rapist.

He said Molekoa could be rehabilitated in prison.

“He will come out as God-fearing and a law-abiding citizen?” asked Judge Mabuse of Madondo, to laughter from those seated in the gallery.